To the Strongest Man I Know,

Please be gentle with yourself.

I love you. We love you. More than you seem to realize, more than you allow yourself to believe.

You are not nothing, are not worthless. Nor are you the cruel names your mind sometimes throws at you in the quiet moments. You are not a POS, no matter how loudly your pain tries to convince you otherwise.

You are a man carrying more than most people ever see.

Yes, you can be a little hard to love sometimes. A little hard-headed. Sometimes a little stubborn. A little guarded. A little difficult to open up when the weight gets too heavy. You build walls when you are hurting and act as though you need no one when you need someone the most.

But even then, beneath all of that, you remain one of the most loving men I know.

Because you would do anything for us.

You go above and beyond for me in ways big and small. In ways spoken and unspoken. In sacrifices no one notices and efforts no one applauds. You carry burdens quietly. But you show love through action, through protection, through providing, through showing up even when you are exhausted.

You do so much.

And I know I may not tell you enough, but I need you to hear this now: I am so blessed to have you. I am so blessed to be loved by you. I am so blessed that out of all the paths life could have taken, somehow it led me to your heart.

You are more than your past.

What happened before us, before now, before healing—it does not define you. It may have shaped some of your scars, but it does not determine your worth. You are not condemned to forever carry every mistake, every regret, every dark season like chains around your neck.

And please, do not keep carrying survivor’s guilt.

Do not punish yourself because out of your group of friends, you are still whole, still alive, still free. Your survival is not something to be ashamed of. It is not a debt you must repay with suffering. You do not dishonor anyone by continuing to live, to love, to grow, to be happy.

You are allowed joy and you are allowed peace.

Allow yourself to have the good things in front of you.

You are meant to be happy. After you have worked your ass off for this life, you are meant to have all that you do. We have worked hard together to build what we have. Brick by brick, day by day, through stress, through struggle, through sacrifice.

Yes, sometimes there are fights. Sometimes misunderstandings happen. Sometimes words are said and feelings get hurt. We are imperfect people trying our best in real life, not some fairy tale.

But we are still here.

Still choosing each other and still learning. We are still loving. Still trying. Still standing.

You are strong when I need to be weak. Your strength holds us up when things feel heavy. You steady the room when life shakes.

But don’t forget—it goes both ways.

I can be strong too.

When you need to be weak, let me hold you up. Let me be your quiet, when your mind is loud. When your heart is tired, let me carry some of the weight. When you feel yourself slipping, trust me enough to know I will not let you fall.

Lean on me.

Trust me.

Let me be strong for you when you need me to be.

I love you so much.

You are enough. You are more than enough.

Please do not ever believe otherwise. Do not let your mind play games with you. Do not let your heart waver because fear is whispering lies. We know who you are. I know who you are.

You are loving, you are capable, you are loyal and you are so incredibly hardworking. You are flawed, yes—but so beautifully human. I see a man worth loving deeply and standing beside fully.

You just need to believe me.

And even if you cannot believe in yourself right now, then believe in me when I tell you this:

You are enough.

More than enough for me.

I love you.

-Bella Imperia